Bowling pin



May 28, 1940. EQF. SEAMAN ET AL BOWLING PIN Filed March 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28, 1940. E. F. SEAMAN ET AL YIBOWLING PIN Filed larch 25, 193B 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fllrworl/il'leamm Jeswfilzmsford May 28, 1940. SEAMAN r AL 2,202,674

BOWLING rm I Filed March 25, 19:59 4 Shets-Shat s May 28, 1940. is. F,.-SEAMAN |-.-r AIL BOWLING PIN Fina larch 25, 19sa 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 28, 1940 PATENT OFFICE BOWLING rm Ellsworth F. Seaman, Washington, D. 0., and Jesse B. Lunsford, East Falls Church, Va.,

Application March 25, 1938, Serial No. 198,116

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bowling alleys and the pins used in conjunction with such alleys.

An important object of our invention is to provide a bowling alley of improved construction in which the factors of chance and error which heretofore have entered into the games of duck pins, ten pins and the like are largely eliminated with the result that the scores compiled by the players furnish a more reliable basis of comparison of their individual skill. In order to attain such an object the invention contemplates the provision of a bowling alley having an improved surfacing material which is free from warping and more resistant to wear than wood, the material commonly employed in the construction oi.

alleys.

Another object of our invention is to provide a bowling alley including means such that when a player crosses the foul line of the alley this fact will be signalled either by the ringing of a hell or by the lighting of a lamp, or by both;

A further object of our invention is to provide a bowling alley having an indicator board associated therewith showing a diagram of the positions of the pins on the alley and also indicating by means of electric lights those positions occupied by pins on the alley. In the preferred form of our invention, the indicator board is connected with detector means at the forward end of the alley-that is, the end of the alley occupied by the player-so that should the player cross the foul line in delivering the ball the pins knocked down by the ball will not register on the indicator board, and the lights upon the board will remain in the same condition as before the roll was made.

Still another object of our invention is to provide signalling means to indicate either audibly or visually, or both, when a player lofts ject to the same conditions. To this .end the loft indicator serves to show when a player has changed his method of play to the extent that a ball is thrown instead of rolled down the alley.

Furthermore the loft signal informs the manage- I will strive to overcome it without placing the management to the embarrassing necessity of calling the matter to his attention.

The invention has as an additional object to provide an improved form of pin which is more resistant to breakage and more capable of retaining its liveliness or ability. to rebound after a prolonged period of service than the wooden pins now in common use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of our. invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1- is a perspective view of a bowling alley incorporating the novel features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view of two of the superposed slabscomposing the floor of the bowling alley;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the forward end of the bowling alley showing the position of the pair of rollers forming part of the foul signalling mechanism;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the floor of the bowling alley showing on an enlarged scale one of the pair of rollers of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a view taken at right angles to that of Fig. 4 showing the pair of rollers of Fig. 3 with the switches associated with one of their ends;

Figure 6 is a wiring diagram showing one of the lamp circuits connected with the indicator board to designate the positions of the pins on the alley, and also showing the circuit associated with the foul signalling mechanism for controlling the lamp circuits;

Figure 7 is one of the series of relays controlling the lamp circuits and adapted to be actuated by the foul signalling circuit;

Figure 8 is a plan view ofthe forward end of the'bowling alley schematically indicating the ar rangement of the loft detecting means;

Figure 9 is-a wiring diagram indicating the circuits associated with the loft signalling means;

. Figure 10 is a view in side elevation of one form of pin for use with bowling alleys;

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of an alternative form of pin;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of another form of pin;

Figure 13' is a view in side elevation of other form of pin; and I Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the pin of Fig. 13, taken on the line ll-ll of the latter figure.

still an- Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 is shown a bowling alley I having a trough 2 extending along one of its sides and disposed at a slight inclination for the gravitational return-of balls 3 from the rear end of the alley, occupied by the pins 4 (only seven pins of the usual ten being shown) to an elevated rack 5 located adjacent a runway la. at the forward end of the alley where the players stand when rolling the balls down the alley in playing the games of duck pins, ten pins and the like. A narrow line 6 is customarily marked upon the floor of the alley between the alley i and the runway la which, according to the rules, no player is permitted to cross in his delivery of a ball down the alley without incurring a penalty against his score.-

The floor of the alley as best indicated in Fig. 2 is composed of synthetic resinous material such as a phenoI-fomialdehyde-for example, the material known as Bakelite-made up in the form of slabs I and la arranged crosswise of the alley. The upper slab 1 is composed of two sheets 8 of the resinous material united by an intermediate layer of cement 9 of any suitable nature, such as that prepared by dissolving a soluble phenol-formaldehyde resin in alcohol and mixing with the soluble condensation product prepared by heating glycerol with sebacic acid. The lower slab 1a is composed of an upper layer of resinous material to, such as composes the sheets 8, bonded by a layer of cement 9a to a metal backing plate Ill which rests upon the floor ii of the building housing the alley. The slabs i and la. are arranged in offset relation so that their joints are out of registry and these slabs are cemented together, as indicated at 91), to form a firm, strong, wear-resistant flooring for the bowling alley capable of withstanding repeated pounding of the balls as they are rolled down the alley. The metal slab ill may be fastened to the floor of the building by a suitable cement 90, as indicated in Fig. 2. The slabs l composing the upper surface of the alley are arranged in tight lateral abutting engagement and the minute cracks between adjacent slabs extending across the alley may be sealed by cement so that the slabs present a plane uninterrupted surface. One of the advantages of this type of flooring over wood flooring is that the efiect of grain or longitudinal floor seams is eliminated by reason of the arrangement of the slabs with their lines of junction at right angles to the path of travel of the balls down the alley.

Preferably located along one side of the alley at its forward end within convenient view of the players is an indicator board l2. This indicator board is provided with a bank of electric lamps l3 arranged in wedge formation, each lamp corre-- sponding to the position of a pin & in set-up position on the alley. The lamps of this pin diagram are individually connected to contacts M embedded in the floor of the alley and designate the spotting positions of the pins, so that when a pin is in set-up position a metal plate on its base bridges these contacts and closes a circuit, later to be described, to illuminate the lamp in the pin diagram on the indicator board corresponding to that particular pin on the alley.

This indicator board facilitates keeping score and obviates error when pins left standing on the alley at the conclusion of a player's period of play are hidden behind other pins. Such a board also serves to increase the interest of spectators whose view of the alley is frequently obscured by the players. In order to protect the lamps. the

diagram board may be covered by a panel Ila having glass windows over the lamps and, if desired, these windows may be numbered to designate the pin positions, as indicated in Fig. 6.

Also upon the indicator board are two additional lamps l5 and I6 designated respectively Foul and Loft." The Foul: lamp l5 will light and a bell l8 connected in the same circuit will ring when a player crosses the foul line 6 marked upon the alley; and the "Loft lamp IE will illuminate and bell l1 :will sound when a player lofts or'throws a ball part way down the alley.

The electric circuits with their associated mechanisms by which the lamps of the indicator board are controlled will now be described. As indicated in Fig. 1 the bowling alley l is provided with two narrow parallel slots l9 extending across the alley at opposite sides of the foul line 8. Disposed within the slots and having their circumferences approximately tangent to but projecting slightly above the floor of the alley are rollers 20. The slots and rollers are sufficiently small s0 as not to constitute a stumbling hazardfor the players. These rollers, which may be of hard rubber composition, are supported at opposite ends in upright metal forks 2| engaging at their upper ends trunnions 22 extending axially from the ends of the rollers and at their lower ends being provided with metal plungers 23 housed within cylinders 24. The rollers, forks and cylinders are located within pits 25 provided below the level of the alley. Springs 26 maintain the plungers 2d, and hence the rollers 20, in raised position but pressure upon the rollers moves the plungers downwardly against the thrust of the springs and brings the metal plungers into engagement with contacts 21 located in the bottom of the cylinders. The contacts 27 within the cylinders at corresponding ends of the rollers are connected in series by a conductor 28 and the corresponding metal forks 2i carrying the metal plungers 23 are connected to a circuit later to be described by conductors 29 and 29a. Shields 30 fastened upon the upright forks 2| guard against the entrance of dirt into the cylinders 23 containing the plungers through the openings in the tops of these cylinders. The plungers 23 with their companion contacts 21 thus form switches S and S arranged in series in an electrical circuit as schematically shown in Fig. 6.

Each roller thus actuates the two switches S or S respectively located at opposite ends of 'a roller. The separation of the two parallel rollers is such that a rolling'ball will depress only one roller at a time leaving the circuit open. If, however, a player makes a foul his foot will restin a position such as to depress both rollers and the switches S and S connected to the forward and rear rollers are simultaneously closed to operate the foul signalling circuit. The two switches S at opposite ends of the forward roller, as well as the two switches S at opposite ends of the rear roller, are connected in parallel to positively insure the operation of the signal even if, as might sometimes occur, only one end of the two rollers is depressed closing both. switches at that end while the switches at their opposite end remain open. In other words, any pair of switches, S and S, connected in series (of the total of four switches associated with the pair of rollers) need be closed in order to actuate the foul signal.

Referring to the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 6, A and D represent the two main lines of the electric lighting circuit for the building housing the bowling alley. From line A, a conductor 3| is connected to one of the contacts l4 designating the' pin spotting position on the alley while a second conductor 3|a extends from the other of the contacts l4 to the appropriate lamp |3 on the indicator board. From the lamp l3, a conductor 3"; leads to the line D. In the same manner the contacts |4 located at each of. the spotting positions of the pins are connected to their respective lamps upon the indicator board. Therefore, when a pin 'is set-up on the alley its metal base will bridge the contacts l4 embedded in the alley and thus complete the electrical circuit through conductors 3|, 3|a, lamp I3 and con- !6 ductor 3") to main line D to light the lamp; and similarly when the pin is knocked over by a ball rolled down the alley the contacts will immediately be disconnected and the circuit broken to extinguish the lamp. For. maintaining the lamp lit when its pin is knocked down-such as is desirable when a player makes a foul--so as to preserve the indicator board in its original condition before the ball was rolled by the player making the foul,

additionalcircuits including a solenoid type relay 32 are provided. The construction of this relay is shown in Fig. '1, and it will be understood that an identical relay is provided for each lamp circuit of the pin diagram.

so The relay 32 comprises a plunger 33 the outer end of which is of some non-magnetic metal and provided wt 1 a flat head 330, while its opposite end is of soft iron (as indicated by shading) or other magnetic metal and reciprocable within a 35 solenoid 34. The solenoid is enclosed within a relay box 35, while the headed end of the plunger projects beyond an end of the'relay box. The opposite end of the plunger is provided with H a metal bridging member 33 having rollers 31 at 40 its opposite ends. A pair of bowed springs 33 is associated with the relay box, the arrangement being such that movement of the plunger within the solenoid causes the rollers to press against and flatten the springs to permit passage of the bridging member past the humps. After the rollers have passed the humps of the springs, the resiliency of the springs biases the plunger into its extreme position of travel in the direction in which it is moving. One end of the solenoid 34 is provided with a pair of contacts 33 adapted to be connected by the metal bridging member 33 when the solenoid is energized and the plunger moved outwardly, i.- e., to the right in Fig. 7. By pressing upon the head 33a the plunger may be moved inwardly to the dotted line position to break the connection between contacts 33 and when moved to its fully retracted position is impositively maintained in such position by the bowed springs 33.

Resetting of the relays at the conclusion of a period of play by a bowler may be accomplished either manually or electrically. A metal reset frame 43 having terminal legs 4| disposed at right angles to the frame and slidable in guides 33a of the plungers 33 by tension springs 43' located at opposite ends of the frame. Bypushing'upon a finger piece 44 extending out from 70 the frame, the frame engages the heads of the 42 is maintained out of contact with the heads beyond the side of the latter, as indicated in Fig. l, for convenient operatim by the players.

Alternatively the reset frame may be operated electrically, and this will be desirable where for. one reason or another it is not practicable to 3 mount the relays 32- on the indicator board. Electrical operation may be accomplished by means of a circuit comprising a conductor 43 leading'for example from the main line A and branching into two parallel lines 45a and 45b 1 connecting with the main line D. Each of the lines 430 and 45b forms part of circuits including solenoids 43 each surrounding aleg 4| of the reset frame composed of soft iron. In the portion of the circuit formed by the conductor 45 15 in a push-button switch 41. By pressing the push-button the circuit is closed and the reset frame is moved in opposition to the tension springs 43 to shift the relay plungers 33 inwardly, in the same manner as when the frame is manu- 20 ally operated.

The winding of the solenoid 34 is connected in circuit with conductors 43 and 43a. Conductor 43 extends from relay 32 and joins conductor 3 la of the lamp circuit as shown. The conductor 43a 25 extends to main line D and includes switches S and S, operable by the rollers 23 of the foul" signalling device. Normally these switches will be open, but when both are closed, as by reason of a player overstepping the foul line, a circuit is 30 completed from main line A, through conductor 3|, contacts l4, conductor 3|a, conductor 43, winding of relay 32, and conductor 43a, to main line D. This causes energization of the relay to move the plunger 33 in a direction so as to bridge 35 the contacts 33 with its head 33a projected outwardly. At the same time the bell l3 rings by reason of a current momentarily flowing through a shunt 43, in circuit with which the bell is connected, from conductor 43a to main line A. '40

The connection between contacts 33 of the relay 32 having been established, current is now free to flow to the lamp l3 maintaining it illuminated notwithstanding breaking of the connection between contacts M if the pin closing these 45 contacts should be knocked down. This current follows the path from main line A, through conductor 3|, a conductor 50, tapping conductor 3| and'leading to one of the contacts 33 of the relay, bridging member 33 of the relay, a conduc- 60 tor 53a connected to the other contact 33 of the relay and leading to conductor 3|a, lamp l3, and through conductor 3| b to main line D. The lamp |3 remains illuminated until the reset frame 43 is depressed to reposition the plungers 33 of all 56 the relays which have been actuated.

A solenoid operated relay 5|, corresponding in all substantial respects to the relay 32 described above, is provided adjacent the latter series of relays to control the foul lamp l5 on the dia- 80 gram board. The winding of the solenoid of relay 5| is connected through conductors 52 and 52a to main lines A and conductor 48a, respectively, as shown in the wiring. diagram of Fig. 6. When the switches -S and S are closed the current flows from A through the winding of relay 5|, conductor 52a and conductor 43a to the main line D. This closes a secondary circuit including the conductors 53 and 53a in which is included the foul lamp 5.

The loft detector controlling the "loft" lamp I3 comprises means for directing two beams of light, indicated by dotted lines 54 and 55 in Fig. 3, horizontally across the alley short distances beyond'the foul line and at an elevation above the 15 alley such that both beams are sequentially intercepted by a ball rolling in the normal way down the alley (or, alternatively, rolling down the gutter which extends alongside the alley), but only the second light beam 55 being intercepted when the ball is lofted in such a manner as to "jump or pass above the first light beam 54.

The first light beam 55 is directed from a light source 58 located on one side of the alley so as to impinge upon a photoelectric relay 51 located upon the opposite side of the alley. This photoelectric relay'is interposed in a circuit 58 including a source of electrical energy 58 and a relay 80 as indicated in Fig. 9. The second light beam 55 likewise is directed from a light source 8| at one side of the alley upon' a photoelectric relay 82 at the other side of the alley interposed in a circuit 83 including a source of electrical energy 84 and a relay 85.

A hinged switch bar 88 is connected to one end of a conductor 81, which conductor at its other end taps the main line A of the building lighting system. A spring 88a tends to draw the switch bar 88- into engagement with a contact 83, but while the relay 80 is energized the switch bar is attracted and maintained out ofengagement with said contact. The conductor 81 includes a solenoid 88 within which there slides a soft iron plunger 13, the arrangement being such that energlzation of the solenoid 88 draws the plunger to the left. A hinged switch bar- 10 is connected to one end of a conductor 1| leading to a contact 12. A spring 18a tends to draw the switch bar 10 into engagement with a contact 14, but while energy is flowing through the relay 85 the switch bar is held away from said contact. The conductor 1i includes therein a solenoid surrounding the plunger 13 and which when energized tends to draw the armature to the right. A contact 12a companion to contact 12 is connected by a conductor 18 to main line A. A conductor 11 extends between the pivoted switch bar 10 and a contact 18; while a a contact 18a, companion to contact 18, is connected to main line A by a conductor 19, and interposed in this circuit is the electrically operable signal bell l1 mounted adjacent the indicator board.

The plunger 13 has fixed thereon a bridging member 8! which in its movement to the left with the plunger closes the pair of contacts 12 and 12a, and in its movement in the opposite direction closes the pair of contacts 18 and 18a. A conductor 82 leading from contact 83 and a conductor 83 leading from contact 14 connect these contacts to the main line D. A conductor 84 in parallel with conductor 13 extends between the latter conductor and the winding of a solenoid operated relay 85, identical in form with that of light relay 32, previously described, and comprising a plunger 88 carrying a bridging member 81. The other end of the winding of relay 85 is connected to main line A through a conductor 84a. One of a pair of contacts 88 on the bottom of the solenoid is connected to the main line A by a conductor 88 having interposed in circuit therewith the loft" lamp, l8; while the other contact 88 on the solenoidis Joined to the main line D by a conductor 80. Normally the plunger will be depressed to maintain the bridging member out of connecting relation with the pair of contacts 88 on the solenoid, but when the solenoid is energized the plunger will move to the dotted line position of Fig. 9 to connect these contacts and complete a circuit to illuminate "loft" lamp 18 on the indicator board.

From the description it will be seen that when the light beam 54 impinging on photoelectric relay 51 is intercepted, the circuit 58 is momentarily interrupted releasing relay 8!! and allowing contact 88 to be engaged by the hinged switch bar 88 under the urge of spring 88a. The short period of time during which the switch bar engages the contact is suflicient to cause a cur- .rent to flow from main line A, through conductor 81, including the solenoid 88, switch bar 88,-

"by the relay 85 so that when the second light beam 55 is intercepted by the ball, the current in circuit 83 will momentarily be interrupted, causing the relay 85 to release hinged switch bar 10 and allow the latter to be pulled by the spring 10a into engagement with contact 14. Current then flows from main line A, through conductor '18, bridging member 8|, conductor 1|, including the solenoid 15, switch bar- 10, and through conductor 83 to main line D. The solenoid 15 moves the plunger 13 to the right to break the connection between contacts 12 and 12a and restore the armature to its original dotted line position closing contacts 18 and 18a.

Now in the case of a lofted ball, only the second light beam 55 is intercepted. This causes the relay 85 in circuit 83 to be de-energlzed. releasing the switch bar 10 which is drawn by spring 10a into engagement with contact 14. A current is consequently caused to flow from main line A, through conductor 84a, the solenoid winding of relay 85, conductor 84, conductor 19, across bridging member 8|, through conductor 11, switch bar 10, and conductor 83, thence to main line D. This current operates the relay 85 to close the circuit constituted of the conductors 88 and 98 and including the.loft lamp I 8, which latter becomes lighted. The bell l1 interposed in the circuit including the conductor 18 is also sounded momentarily for the duration of the second light beam interruption.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the pins having been initially set up in wedge formation upon the alley ready for play, all the lamps I 3 upon the indicator board will be lighted by reason of the metal bases of the pins bridging the contacts i4 embedded in the floor of the alley to close their respective lamp circuits. When a ball is rolled down the alley and a pin is knocked over, assuming no foul by the player occurs, the contacts I! are no longer connected and the circuit of the lamp designating that particular pin position in the diagram on the indicator board is broken so that the lamp goes out. This, of course, happens'in the case of all the pins knocked down by the ball so that the indicator board reveals to the player the number and position of the pins remaining standing at any time by the lighted lamps in the pin diagram.

When, however, a player oversteps the foul line in making a roll the switches S and S are closed by reason of the player's foot simultaneously depressing the pair of rollers 20. This closes a circuit to operate the relays 32 so that current will flow to each already lighted lamp. through a secondary circuit as has been previously described and-thus preserve the condition of the indicator board regardless of whether or not other pins are subsequently knocked down. Simultaneously the bell It will ring during the period switches S and-S are closed and the "foul lamp ii on the indicator board will lightup to signal the foul.

t ed to the reset frame 40. This action also extinguishes the "foul lamp l5. Thereafter, the pins knocked over by the succeeding balls rolled down the alley until a player has finished his period of play will be registered on the pin diagram on the indicator board.

A further advantage following from the provision of individual pin circuit relays is that a referee in match play may energize relay (through a control circuit, not shown) when he wishes to declare a penalty for reasons other than infraction of the rules against crossing the foul line or lofting a ball.

If a player should make a loft only one of the two light beams directed across the alley will be intercepted. Interception of the second light beam 55 without interception of the first beam 54 actuates relay 85. This causes the bell 80 to sound and the lamp it marked Left on the indicator board to illuminate in a manner which has previously been explained. The relay 85 may be reset, either manually or electrically, by means not shown but corresponding to those described above in connection with the reset frame of Fig. 6. This extinguishes the l,oft" light on the indicator board. It will be readily appareht that, in the same way that relay 5i operates in the case of a foul, relay 85 might be arranged to shunt out the contacts H on the bowling alley and preserve the indicator board in its then fixed condition when a ball is lofted, regardless of whether or not any pins are knocked down on the roll. In this event the penalty for a lofted ball would be the same as for a foul; i. e., the player loses the number of pins he knocked down with the ball when the loft was committed. Under ordinary conditions of play, however, the sounding of the bell to indicate the occurrence of a loft will probably be suflicient.

In Figs. through 14 are shown various forms of pins which are preferably used in conjunction with the bowling alley described above, although it will be appreciated that such pins have a broader field of application and may be employed to equally good advantage upon alleys of the type now incommon use. The inability of wooden pins to withstand the repeated shocks to which they are exposed in play is attested by the fact that after one game a set of wooden pins is usually considered unfit for service in competition match play. In order to overcome the disadvantages of wooden pins we propose to construct our pins in whole or in part of synthetic resinous compo- 'sltions, molded or pressed to shape, and cured under suitable conditions of temperatures, pressure and time.

even the same pin. Moreover, no two pins can possibly be exactly alike; the grain structure of wood, between the same species of trees, will vary considerably because of the unavoidable differences in the growth of trees caused by differences in soil conditions, climatic conditions, seasonal variations of rainfall, sunshine, drought, etc. Even two trees of 'the same species, age, soil conditions, etc., will be dissimilar if one 7 grows on the northern slope and another grows on the southern slope of the same hill. Nor are the annular rings on the same tree truly concentric, one with respect to another, but these rings are usually wider on that side of the tree next torthe sun.

There is no means of overcoming such variations as occur in wood, and the best which can be hoped for is a partial culling out of the worst specimens. It is obvious that, due to economic considerations (cost, lack of definite standards as to density, etc.) there must always exist a wide .variation between the different pins of any one set; these wide variations in texture, hardness, etc., leading to wide variations in reaction when different pins are hit at exactly the same angle, direction, force, etc. Such variations may prove interesting, as all games of chance are, but they serve to reduce what should be and is usually intended to be a game of skill, to one of chance.

There are, of course, pins of molded or pressed composition such as hard rubber, compressed paper, fibre, bitumen, shellac, etc., which may be held to closer tolerances as to weight, balance and hardness than wood, but that such materials are even less practicable than maple wood, of which the usual wooden pins are composed,

is attested by the fact that wooden pins are v are made of .sumciently hard metal to withstand deformation, then they are either too heavy or so resistant as to cause injury to the balls.

In Fig. 10 is shown a pin Hill of conventional bottle shape composed in principal part of wood but having a band IOI composed of a' synthetic resinous material surrounding its barrel portion in the zone in which it is subject to impact by the balls. The inner circumference illla of this band is cylindrical in form so as to tightly embrace a corresponding cylindrical portion upon the wooden pin. The band is held in assembly with the pin by means of screws suitably countersunk as indicated at I02 within the band and the countersinks filled with a polymerized Bakelite varnish flush with the outer surface of the band. The outer circumference Nb of the band is smoothly curved as shown in the figure so as to continue the bulged peripheral contour of the pin. Upon the base of the pin is afiixed a protective metal plate I03. Instead of beingcomposed of a single molded ring of material, the band IOI alternatively may be composed of a plurality of layers of synthetic resinous materials adhesively bonded together. If desired, the band may be split to facilitate its assembly with the pin.

One virtue of this type of pin is that it may be economically produced by making use of wooden pins which have become unfit for further use by reason of denting or splintering of their outer surfaces. Thus, mam wooden pins which have served their normal term of usefulness may be reclaimed by simply trimming oi the damaged section of their periphery in a lathe so as to receive the band Ifll. Another advantage lies in the fact that such pins may be originally constructed of relatively cheap wood, instead of the comparatively expensive maple wood of which wooden pins are customarily made, and thus materially reduce their manufacturing cost. The life of the pin may be prolonged almost indefinitely by renewing the bands IIII. as they become unsuited for use after long periods of service.

Fig. 11 shows a form of hollow pin I08. In this form 'of pin a metal shell I05 corresponding generally to the contour of the pin and provided with a thin metal stem Ill5a at its upper end is covered with outer and inner layers I06 and late of synthetic resinous material adhesively secured together. The outer layer I06 is molded to the contour of a conventional pin and the metal stem I05a serves to reinforce the molded neck of the pin. A metal base plate Illl is fastened to the bottom of the pin by means of an annular bushing Ill'la bonded to circular surrounding flange Ill5a projecting from the bottom of the shell I05.

The pin I08 shown in Fig. 12 comprises a thin metal rod I09, having a head I09a upon its upper end, about which the pin is molded from synthetic rminous material. This pin is provided with a base plate IIIl threadedly fastened to the lower end of the rod and fixed to the base plate and extending axially upward at the bottom of the pin is a hollow sleeve III surrounding the lower end of the rod and having a serrated circumference Illa interlocking with the molded material of the pin.

In Figs. 13 and 14 is shown a pin II2 incorporating certain of the features of the pins illustrated in Figs. 10 and 12. This pin is composed in major part of wood but is circumferentially provided with a relatively wide annular recess 3 coextensive with the zone subject to impact of the ball with the pin. In this recess is tightly confined a band Ill, having a cylindrical inner circumference Illa. adapted to engage the bottom of the recess and a curved outer circumference 4b continuing the bulged peripheral contour of the pin. This band comprises a metal reinforcing ring N5 of segmental cross-section entirely covered by a layer H8 of synthetic resinous material. A rod II'I extends axially through the pin, this rod having a head II'Ia seating within a countersink H8 in the pin and being provided at its lower end, which terminates within an enlarged axial bore 9 of the pin, with a nut I20.

The band may be molded onto the pin during manufacture. A cross arm I2I extends diametrically through the pin and connecting opposite points upon the inner circumference of the band. The cross arm which is made of synthetic resinous material is provided with an opening I22 to pass the rod 1. The ends of the arm are bonded to the inner circumference of the band, at the time the latter is molded onto the pin whereby the band is retained in rigid assembly with the pin. Upon the bottom of the pin is a metal base plate I23. This base plate forms in effect a flange or ring surrounding the end of an inverted cup I24, telescoping into the axial bore II! in the bottom of the pin. The nut I20 on the lower-end of rod Ill clamps against the bottom of the cup to hold the cup, together with the base plate, in tight association with the pin.

This form of pin like the pin of Fig. 13 admits of the manufacture of the pin from a cheaper grade of wood than the usual maple wood, and further suggests how pins of the conventional allwood construction which have become too battered for further service may be easily and cheaply reclaimed by fitting them with the form of band described above.

The pins described above are not limited to any one particular synthetic resin because numerous resin compositions of a satisfactory character are already of wide commercial availability; and the selection of a particular one is largely a matter of individual choice; influenced somewhat by the facilities and normal manufacturing technique of a particular supplier; and largely by the salient features of a particular pin design.

At the present time, and based upon the molding (or press) equipment, temperatures, pressures and curing times in widest commercial use, our choice would favor a resin of the phenolformaldehyde (50-50) type. Such resins are commonly known under brand names like Bakelite, and we prefer to employ Bakelites XM-199, XM-200, Kill-3510 and XM-ll32 (in decreasing order of merit).

Although resin reinforcement is not absolutely necessary to this invention, it does offer certain advantages. The best results are obtained with. and we prefer to utilize, fabric or other fibrous reinforcing agents such as cotton or linen cloth or fragments, asbestos fibres, glass fibres, etc., in conjunction with the resin.

Where a particular constructionpermlts or requires the use of a laminated structure, for greater strength and most economical manufacture, the raw laminating material may be prepared in exactly the same way as in preparing that used in producing laminated phenolic material of the types commonly referred to in the industry as N. E. M. A. Grade C or N. E. M. A. Grade L (National Electrical Manufacturer's Association Standards 193 covering laminated phenolic products).

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiment is therefore to be con-. sidered as illustr'ativeand not restrictive, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. A pin for bowling alleys comprising a wooden central portion having an annular recess coextensive with the area of the pin normally contacted by the ball, a band of synthetic resinous material adapted to engage in said annular recess to complete the normal outline of the pin, and a cross-arm composed of a synthetic resinous material extending diametrically through the pin connecting opposite points of the inner circumference of the said band to eiiect rigidity of construction.

2. A pin for bowling alleys comprising a wooden central portion having an annular recess coextensive with the area of the pin normally contacted by the ball, a band of synthetic resinous material adapted to rigidly engage in said an- .nular recess to complete the normal outline of the pin, a cross-arm composed of synthetic material extending diametrically through the pin connecting opposite points of the inner circumference of the said band to efiect transverse rigidity of construction of the pin, a rod extending axially through the pin adapted to effect vertical rigidity of construction of the pin.

3. A pin for bowling alleys comprising a wooden central portion having an annular recess coextensive with the area of the pin normally contacted by the ball, a band of synthetic resinous material adapted to engage in said annular recess to complete the normal outline of the pin. a cross arm composed of a synthetic resinous material extending diametrically through the pin connecting opposite points of the inner circumference of the said band to effect rigidity of construction, and a metal plate attachedto the bottom of said pin.

ELLSWORTH F. SEAMAN.

JESSE B. LUNSF'ORD. 

